Jim Carrey honoured at César Awards, traces family roots back 300 years to France

Jim Carrey received a standing ovation at the 51st edition of France’s César Awards on Thursday, February 26 as he accepted this year’s honorary prize, delivering an emotional speech entirely in French.

Carrey, best known for films such as The Mask and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, received the honour traditionally reserved for an international star, following last year’s recipient, Julia Roberts.

He was introduced on stage by director Michel Gondry, who worked with Carrey on Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind 22 years ago. Speaking in French with a pronounced American accent, Carrey told the audience, “As an actor, each character you play is like clay in the sculptor’s hands, which you shape to your heart’s desire. How fortunate I have been to share this art with so many people who have truly opened their hearts to me,” as transcribed by Variety Australia.


During his remarks, Carrey also referenced his family’s historical ties to France. He said that “about 300 years ago, (his) great, great, great, great, great, great-grandfather, Marc-François Carré, yes, Carré, was born in France, in Saint Malo” before emigrating to Canada.

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He ended his speech on a humorous note, asking the audience, “So, how was my French? Almost mediocre, right? Forgive me, I didn’t speak French, but I’m just learning it. My tongue is tired.”


Carrey began his career in stand-up comedy before rising to prominence in the 1990s with cult hits including Dumb and Dumber, The Mask, and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. He later transitioned into more dramatic roles, winning a Golden Globe for The Truman Show, in which he portrayed a man who discovers his life is being broadcast as a television show.

Further critical acclaim followed with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, where he starred opposite Kate Winslet as a man who chooses to erase memories of a failed relationship. Carrey later appeared in several international box-office successes, including the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, before stepping back from filmmaking in the early 2020s.

At the same ceremony, American filmmaker Richard Linklater won the best director award for his 2025 film Nouvelle Vague, a black-and-white production centred on the making of Breathless, the landmark French New Wave film by Jean-Luc Godard.